Overall ended on a very interesting note. This is much closer to something like Cage of Souls, which I wasn't the biggest fan of. As always, though, tOverall ended on a very interesting note. This is much closer to something like Cage of Souls, which I wasn't the biggest fan of. As always, though, the cleverness and novelty of what Tchaikovsky brings to the story is the best part. I had fun but I don't think I'll come back and check it out again....more
Very first chapter opens up with a bunch of caricatures of liberal thought and everything-that's-wrong-with-colleges-right-now. What the actual fuck. Very first chapter opens up with a bunch of caricatures of liberal thought and everything-that's-wrong-with-colleges-right-now. What the actual fuck. I'm amenable to poking holes in such things but why in the ever-loving hell would you think you should open your entire series with such tripe? I picked this up on a whim because of "time shenanigans" but I'm dropping it immediately because if the opening is this stupid I cannot imagine just how annoying, and smug, their lens on history is going to be. Buh-bye....more
This was okay I guess. I was ambivalent about having one of my all-time favorite books get a sequel in the first place, I felt like the ending to The This was okay I guess. I was ambivalent about having one of my all-time favorite books get a sequel in the first place, I felt like the ending to The House in the Cerulean Sea was perfect, but I wanted to see what Klune did with it because, hello, all-time favorite book. Unfortunately what he did with it just really stretched credulity quite a bit farther, the tone was off, and I found myself ruminating on why exactly I wasn't super into it. The writing itself was certainly the same caliber. The characters were still charming but...
Most of the magic from House was just gone for me here. Maybe it's a me problem right now. The messages and morals in this book were incredibly heavy-handed compared to House. It felt like quite a bit more talking at the reader. And the sheer scope of these messages stretched things as well. It's a much more angry, or at least pointed, book. Presumably anybody reading this has already read book one but if not, you know, some obvious spoilers for book one follow...what was a story about one person changing and growing in the first book became this story about a something much much larger and, honestly, it just didn't work for me nearly as well. I have faith in individuals to grow and change dynamically, I am not nearly as optimistic when we start talking groups. As such I think that's the simplest criticism I have for it - House "made sense" and this one just didn't follow through on that.
For me, overall, it just felt like a sequel that didn't need to be written going into the book and nothing in the book came close to changing my opinion by the end. Certainly wouldn't push anyone away from it but I was disappointed....more
Solid book. I've been a fan of the Head First format all the way back to Head First Design Patterns. I find the format very valuable for keeping focusSolid book. I've been a fan of the Head First format all the way back to Head First Design Patterns. I find the format very valuable for keeping focus and it fits well with the way I like to learn things. This particular book is setup more for someone who may not have a number of languages already in their toolbox, but it worked incredibly well for polishing up my knowledge. I have a tendency to just start writing things in a new language, and I've been working with Go for awhile now, but I was looking for something that would take me through all the basic Go opinions and design decisions in a more directed manner. Because Go is such a very opinionated language I felt like I had a bit of a gap and I wanted to wrap my head around the opinions and tradeoffs. I got that here for sure. It did a good job of highlighting what Go shares with other languages and where it decided to do its own thing.
Great book for beginners, solid book for anyone who wants to firm up their foundational Go knowledge, not for anyone who is looking to leave the junior level of Go development....more
A breezy read considering the dark starting point of the book. It is chock full of social justice commentary and allegory but I thought it was done inA breezy read considering the dark starting point of the book. It is chock full of social justice commentary and allegory but I thought it was done incredibly well and I'm usually pretty snarky about that kind of thing. I'm not sure it's going to blow away anybody with it's originality but that's not always needed. Overall I was blasting through it but I wasn't have a whole bunch of fun, but then the final third or so captured me a little bit more. I'm glad I picked this up from the library on a whim and I will check out the second one when it comes out....more
Easily my favorite of The Last Horizon so far but still sitting at four star books. I wasn't consumed by the story but I did find it interesting. I enEasily my favorite of The Last Horizon so far but still sitting at four star books. I wasn't consumed by the story but I did find it interesting. I enjoyed seeing more about Raion and overall I enjoy all the characters. Will stick with them....more
Solid four stars. Not nearly as enjoyable as Book #5 that immediately proceeded this in chronology but still nice to visit Murderbot again. Now I guesSolid four stars. Not nearly as enjoyable as Book #5 that immediately proceeded this in chronology but still nice to visit Murderbot again. Now I guess I'm caught up so I'll just need to wait and see where it goes from here....more
I enjoyed this one better than The Captain. I suspect maybe Wight is one of those authors that has lots and lots of interesting stuff to get to but neI enjoyed this one better than The Captain. I suspect maybe Wight is one of those authors that has lots and lots of interesting stuff to get to but needs a weaker opening book(s) to really get things flowing. Indeed, it took me a couple books to really get into Cradle and something like half the series before I felt like there was a five star book.
And, speaking of Cradle, I like how different this series is in that nobody's looking to get stronger here, everyone's already a "fleet level threat" or whatever. At the same time I wonder a little bit if I'm going to get bored of a story where there is character growth but not necessarily ability growth? At least all the characters are very distinct and realized and have compelling personalities. So I am interested to see where the series progresses now that the whole crew is together and there are hints of a larger something going on. This was a great book for having on my phone to read in between the cracks of other things where I could be interrupted and not care and where I wasn't compelled to sit down and read as quickly as possible.
On to the Knight so I can discuss these with my son without risking spoilers from him....more
What a whimsical little fairy tale 13,000 years in the future. I enjoy the way Sloan's mind works, I like the way he tells a story. This one didn't haWhat a whimsical little fairy tale 13,000 years in the future. I enjoy the way Sloan's mind works, I like the way he tells a story. This one didn't have the charm of Penubmra but it was told with similar skill. I have no idea why it was presented as being in the Penumbraverse but, whatever, it was a fun story especially for those that are familiar with stories. I liked the way things were framed, I found myself thoughtful as I'd finish a chapter. I can absolutely see Sloan's voice in the story and that's a pretty solid positive in my mind. Well worth checking out....more
Didn't grab me nearly as much as the first one. Felt a little rushed, felt quite a bit bloated, and overall the manufactured drama up to the reveals wDidn't grab me nearly as much as the first one. Felt a little rushed, felt quite a bit bloated, and overall the manufactured drama up to the reveals was...meh. The editing too needed some work. And I guess this is now up to a FIVE book series? C'mon.
I didn't hate it but whatever was there for the first book just wasn't there for the second book. I'm not sure if I'll continue to the third book or not, maybe I'll just get peer-pressured into it but I'm not feeling it enough to preorder the next one....more
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